Thrice Wedded, but Only Once a Wife — page 187: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

178 - ‘THRICE WEDDED, ‘Nice little match that of Ralph Ellerton’s. I presume you will be interested to know that he will now have the command of three fortunes; you have always taken such an | interest in the lad’s welfare that it must be pleasing to you to know of his present good luck. Miss Dupont’s, or rather Mrs. Kilerton’s fortune, united with my own, and then yours on the top of that, will make quite a little pile, amounting in all to about two millions of dollars. You perceive I keep posted about these things.” ‘‘Villain! will you hold your peace ?” demanded Mr. El- lerton, exasperated nearly beyond control. He raised his head again, and sharply scrutinized the face of his enemy, and grew a shade paler at the diabolical pur- pose he saw written there. He saw at once that the man meant to take his life. Step hy step the squire approached nearer to his victim, until only a short space remained between them. In a stern, authoritative tone, Mr. Ellerton cried out: ‘‘Back, villain! Do not dare to take another step, or you shall pay dearly for it!” The wretch leered fearfully at him, and, with a shrill, mocking laugh, glided still nearer. “Do you think I fear you?” he asked, “‘or that I have come here unprepared to defend myself! Look!” The squire drew a long, slender dagger from his bosom as he spoke, and held it up before the face of his victim. «This beautiful little instrument,” he said, lightly feel- ing its edge with one long, bony finger, “Is poisoned, and one scratch would send you to your long lost and lovely bride —she who ought to have been mine, and whom yon stole from me, curses on you!” His deepest passions began to be stirred, as they always were when his mind reverted to the fancied wrongs of long ago. “But,” he continued, ‘“my revenge will soon be complete, for 1 am going to stab you to the heart with this, and then watch you while you die. Oh, it will be a feast to my eyes, a io to my soul! No, no—better not try that,” he said, as Ellerton made a motion as if to seize the weapon _ from his hand. “Remember, the merest trick will prove fatal and cause you tenfold more suffering. Better take it quietly to your heart at once and have it over with; you ese ‘meet Jessie then all bite sooner.” >= =-ecomicbooks (ee)